What is the history of child soldiers?
The first modern use of child soldiers in the region was actually during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Iranian law, based on the Koranic sharia, had forbid the recruitment of children under 16 into the armed forces.
Why does Uganda have a history of child soldiers in their country?
The British created a system where many Acholi people turned to the army to escape extreme poverty and then they were persecuted for it. Poverty and persecution influenced Kony’s disillusionment with the government and his desire to rebel and create child soldiers in Uganda.
When did the use of child soldiers in Africa start?
The concentrated use of child soldiers seems to have began in Mozambique in the 1980s, but now has been reported in nearly a dozen nations featuring an estimated 120,000 children. They are forcibly taken, or volunteer when no other option exists.
What is the history of child soldiers in Africa?
Child soldiers have been utilized in armed conflicts around the world for much of human history. The Zulu kingdom of southern Africa, for example, was known to utilize children in their military. This issue still exists today. It’s estimated that about 40% of the world’s estimated 300,000 child soldiers are in Africa.
Why are child soldiers used?
Many children are forced to join military groups at a young age. Child soldiers are also easier to manipulate and force into conflict. Recruiters typically target children from troubled areas or conflict zones, likely accustomed to violence and with fewer educational or work opportunities.
When did child soldiers start in Uganda?
1987
Origin of child soldiers in Uganda The Lord’s Resistance Army is an armed rebel group based in Uganda that has abducted over 67,000 youth and 30,000 children for use as child soldiers and sex slaves since its inception in 1987.
What are child soldiers used for?
Child soldiers are boys and girls who are often abducted and used as combatants, forced to act as human shields or conduct executions, deployed as suicide bombers, or used to make or transport explosives. Other roles include working as guards, spies, messengers, porters, cooks or domestic servants.
Why are child soldiers used in Africa?
Reasons for recruitment by armed groups Child soldiers are typically recruited because they are seen by armed groups as expendable and cheap to maintain.
What do child soldiers fight for?
Child soldiers are any children under the age of 18 who are recruited by a state or non-state armed group and used as fighters, cooks, suicide bombers, human shields, messengers, spies, or for sexual purposes.
Which African country has most child soldiers?
Burkina Faso
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Trapped in conflicts, the children of West and Central Africa are the most recruited by armed groups in the world and also have the highest number of victims of sexual violence, says a report released Tuesday by the United Nations Children’s Fund.
What is the issue of child soldiers?
The lack of State sovereignty is therefore the cornerstone of the child soldier problem. It can therefore be argued that progress in the field of international law and regulation can only yield limited results in face of the circumstances.